- Sportsnet to own and operate all aspects of the Grand Slam of Curling -
- Builds on Sportsnet's diverse portfolio of assets and enhances engagement with sports fans -
- Series to air on Sportsnet and CBC through sub-licensing agreement -
TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2012 /CNW/ - Sportsnet today announced it has purchased the Grand Slam of Curling and will be establishing a new events division. This purchase marks a significant milestone for Sportsnet, as the multiplatform media brand expands its diverse portfolio into the sports events category, furthering its commitment to providing fans with premium sports experiences and content across multiple platforms.
Sportsnet will now wholly own and operate the Grand Slam of Curling, which is part of the World Curling Tour. The elite series of men's and women's curling events features the best teams from across Canada and around the world. The Grand Slam of Curling was acquired by Sportsnet from Insight Sports Ltd.
"Curling is an essential part of our Canadian sports fabric, and the Grand Slam of Curling is the cream of the crop in international curling events," said Scott Moore, President, Broadcasting, Rogers Media. "We are proud to own and operate the Grand Slam of Curling, as it furthers Sportsnet's commitment to producing world-class content, anyplace, anyhow and anywhere and allows us to integrate and engage the sports fan in innovative ways through our new events division. Sportsnet intends to grow the Grand Slam of Curling like never before."
"On behalf of the Grand Slam players, we are thrilled to welcome Sportsnet as the new owners of the Grand Slam of Curling," said Pierre Charette, President, World Competitive Curlers Association. "This is great news for the Canadian curling community as a whole. Sportsnet will operate events that are second-to-none, broadcast more games and take the Grand Slam of Curling to another level."
The 2012-13 Grand Slam of Curling series kicks off with The Masters, taking place in Brantford, ON from November 14 to 18. The series will air on Sportsnet and CBC, through a sub-licensing agreement. Additional details regarding the full 2012-13 Grand Slam of Curling schedule and broadcast details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Sportsnet has a long history of producing and televising curling. The network's curling coverage began with the inaugural season of the World Curling Tour when the network launched in 1988, and has continued with various curling events including the Grand Slam of Curling between 2001 and 2006.
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About the Grand Slam of Curling
Held annually since 2001-02, the Grand Slam of Curling is an elite series of men's and women's curling bonspiels which feature the best teams from across Canada and around the world. Owned and operated by Sportsnet, the Grand Slam of Curling events are part of the annual World Curling Tour and consistently present the strongest fields in curling. The Grand Slam of Curling series is also closely tied to the Canadian Curling Association's qualifying process for the Olympic Winter Games. Through their performance in the Grand Slam series events, teams can earn a significant amount of points towards securing a berth at the Canadian Olympic Trials.
About Sportsnet
Sportsnet connects Canadian sports fans to their favourite teams and athletes, using five platforms: TV, Radio, Print, Online and Mobile. Sportsnet is Fuelled By Fans, and delivers storytelling on a local, regional, national and global level. The multiplatform brand consists of Sportsnet, sportsnet.ca, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 960 The FAN, Sportsnet magazine, Sportsnet Mobile and the Hockey Central app on iPad and Playbook. Sportsnet is the Canadian leader in NHL and MLB television broadcasts and is home to 162 Toronto Blue Jays games, plus MLB Playoffs and the World Series. Sportsnet is an official broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and also offers an exciting sports lineup including the NFL, the Rogers Cup tennis tournament, the Memorial Cup, and soccer programming with UEFA Champions League, Barclays Premier League, MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Canadian national team matches for men and women. Sportsnet Connected is the network's nightly news program, providing regional and national coverage of the day's events in the world of sports.
Image with caption: "Olympic gold medallist Kevin Martin (c) joins Scott Moore, President of Broadcast, Rogers Media (l) and Pierre Charette, President, World Competitive Curlers Association (r) as Sportsnet announces the purchase of the Grand Slam of Curling. (CNW Group/Sportsnet)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120830_C2694_PHOTO_EN_17395.jpg
SOURCE: Sportsnet
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